Early years

Born in Borger, Texas, Anderson grew up in Stinnett, seat of Hutchinson County in the Texas Panhandle, and graduated from Stinnett High School in 1961. A talented multi-sport athlete, he was all-state in football and basketball, placed in the state track meet (hurdles and relay) and played baseball in the summer.

College career

At Texas Tech in Lubbock, Anderson earned the nickname the "Golden Palomino." He received All-American honors twice (1964 & 1965) and was a three-time all-Southwest Conference halfback (1963-65). Anderson held many of Texas Tech's football records and finished fourth in the 1965 Heisman Trophy race. He is part of the Texas Tech Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.

Because of a redshirt year due to academic issues, Anderson was eligible as underclassman for the 1965 NFL Draft, then known as a "future" pick. In 1964 he ran for 966 yards with 3 TD and had 32 catches for 396 yards and 4 TD; Despite being selected by the Packers, he returned for his senior season at Texas Tech in 1965 and led the Red Raiders to an 8-2 regular season and a berth in the Gator Bowl on the afternoon of New Year's Eve. As a senior, he ran for 705 yards with 10 TD and had 60 catches for 797 yards and 7 TD.

Selected the outstanding player for Texas Tech in a ten-point loss to Georgia Tech, Anderson signed his pro contract hours after the game. He selected the Packers over the reportedly higher offer from the Houston Oilers of the AFL. His contract was believed to be a then-record $600,000, exceeding Joe Namath's contract of the previous year.

Pro career

Anderson began his NFL career in 1966 as #44 for the world champion Packers. Fellow All-American Jim Grabowski, a fullback from Illinois, was the Packers' first pick in the 1966 NFL Draft, and ninth overall. The well-paid pair were the projected successors of Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor, future hall of famers in their final season with Green Bay. The two rookies were on the College All-Star team that lost to the defending NFL champion Packers 38-0 on August 5 at Soldier Field in Chicago. They joined the Packers' training camp after the game, and were tabbed the "Gold Dust Twins."

Though he did not see much playing time as a rookie, he was part of a memorable play. During his second carry in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl I, Anderson's knee knocked out Chiefs defensive back Fred "The Hammer" Williamson, who had been boastful in pre-game interviews. Williamson was carried off on a stretcher.

While with the Packers, Anderson originated the concept of hang time in punting. Until Anderson, punters typically strove for maximum distance, with the NFL's leaders usually averaging 45 or more yards a punt. Punt returns varied, with an average of perhaps 5 yards per return. In 1967, the left-footed Anderson worked instead at punting the ball higher, shortening the distance traveled but increasing the ball's time in the air, allowing better coverage by his team on the punt return. Green Bay punted 66 times that year, 63 of them by Anderson; opponents were able to return only 13 of them for a total of 22 yards, or about 1/3 yard per punt. It was Anderson's coach, Vince Lombardi, who explained the concept to sportswriters who questioned why Lombardi didn't try to find a better punter than Anderson, who averaged only 36.6 yards per punt that year. Lombardi pointed out the lack of return yardage. Other punters soon followed Anderson, working for greater hang time. Eventually the NFL changed its rules governing punt coverage, to restore the ability to return punts.

In February 1972, Anderson was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for MacArthur Lane. Anderson played through the 1974 season with the Cardinals, then was traded in the offseason to the Miami Dolphins. At age 32, he recognized that his prospects for playing time were low, and retired during training camp in mid-August 1975.

After football

Following his retirement from the NFL, Anderson spent nearly two decades on the celebrity golf tour. As of 2013, Anderson lives in the Dallas area and stays busy with ten grandchildren and his Dallas-based foundyation, "Winners for Life," that helps send at-risk kids to college.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]